This invention relates, in general, to a method of bonding leads to an integrated circuit, including, but not limited to, a method of optimizing bond tool pressure distribution.
During the manufacture and assembly of components it is often necessary to position or hold a work piece in a co-planar orientation to each other. This is a major concern in the assembly of integrated circuits. In particular, it is desirable to have the integrated circuit co-planar with a bonding tool when inner lead bonding (ILB) is performed in a tape automated bonding (TAB) process. When the IC and the bonding tool are coplanar, a uniform amount of pressure is applied to all the leads and the IC, which results in more uniform bonding of the leads to the IC. More uniform bonding translates into a more reliable IC having a reduced amount of lead lifts.
In the past, a self aligning air bearing platform has been used, such as that described by Laninga et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,671 on Jun. 19, 1990. The self aligning air bearing described in this patent has significantly improved the state of the art in this area, but it would be desirable to further optimize the process of achieving coplanarity between the IC and the bonding tool beyond that which was realized by Laninga et al.